Lisette ran her fingers over her scalp, her eyes wide with panic. "Oh my God, there''s a bald spot! I''m losing it-this can''t be happening."


    All around them, people were whispering and pointing, their curious stares making everything worse.


    Damien spotted Calliope just as she walked in. Without hesitation, he made his way toward her.


    Calliope nced up, catching sight of the two people who''d just blocked Damien earlier—they''d slunk back over to Blythe''s side.


    Clearly, those two were Blythe''s little entourage.


    By now, Blythe had strolled right up to Lisette, standing protectively by her. She eyed Calliope and Portia, lips pressed tight, saying nothing. The air was thick with tension—nobody backing down.


    Finally, Lisette snapped, her voice cracking, "Calliope, move! This witch ripped out my hair, and I''m not leaving till I get payback!"


    "You''re not touching her." Calliope stepped in front of Portia, arms crossed. "As long as I''m here, you''re notying a finger on her. And actually, you owe Portia an apology."


    Lisette''s jaw dropped. "Excuse me? You want me to apologize to her? Get real- she should be apologizing to me!"


    Her face was red with fury.


    "You started it, Lisette. That means you apologize first." Calliope''s voice was icy. "Over my dead body, Calliope. Seriously, what are you living on?"


    Blythe turned to Calliope, her tone deceptively calm. "Look, yeah, Lisette made the first move, but it was your friend who shoved her back and pulled out her hair. Don''t you think that''s a little unfair?"


    Calliope shot Blythe a cold stare. "Ms. White, you had your people block my friend just now. Mind telling me why?"


    "Oh, so you''re here to help Lisette push my friends around now?"


    She squared her shoulders. "Believe me, Ms. White, we''re not done here."


    Just then, a familiar voice cut through the standoff. "What''s going on, Blythe?" Calliope''s heart stuttered. Jett.


    She''d just confirmed it with


    ckhawk-Jett and his wife were her biological parents. ckhawk was never wrong, and even if she


    She


    hadn''t seen the DNA test yet, she


    knew it was true.


    She looked up and saw Jett heading their way, his gaze soft and affectionate as he looked at Blythe.


    He really seemed to care about her. So did Mrs. White. Blythe was their adopted daughter, but the Whites clearly adored her.


    Calliope couldn''t help but remember


    her own years with the Jewell


    family. She''d been their real


    daughter, but they''d always favored Lisette, their adopted child.


    Was this just how things went? Would the Whites be any different? Maybe it was true-maybe the child you raised was the one you loved and the one who''d been away was just... forgotten.


    They''d been alive this whole time, but never looked for her. Maybe Blythe was all they needed.


    The thought made her stomach twist.


    "Dad, they''re bullying my friend!" Blythe piped up, her voice trembling just enough


    to sound vulnerable. "They ripped out her hair, look!"


    Jett turned to Calliope, surprise flickering across his face. "Wait, is that Ms. Jewell?"


    "That''s me," Calliope replied, meeting his gaze. "So, Mr. White, are you just going


    to take your daughter''s side without hearing the truth?"


    She braced herself, expecting him to be unreasonable, to pick Blythe no matter what.


    But Jett looked taken aback. "That''s not what I meant at all."


    He hadn''t even said anything yet.